Refrigerator show-case



G. F. MOOREHEAD.

REFHIGERATOR SHW CASE.

APPLICATION man FEB. 21. 1911.

Patented J uly 8, 1919.

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UNITED OFFICE.

GEORGE F, MOOREHEAD, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR C. WRIGHT. OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

REFRIGERATOR SHOW-CASE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application led February 27, 1917. Serial No. 151,182.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. Moonri- HEAD, citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Des Moines, Polk county, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Refrigerator Show-Case, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a refrigerator show-case in which a forced draft is employed to maintain a constant current of air over the refrigerating means and through the display compartment.

A further object of this invention is to providean ilnproved construction for a refrigerator show-case in which the entire upper portion of the device may be utilized as a display compartment or provision chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved and efficient arrano'ement of the draft-creating means and tie refrigerating means.

A further object of this invention is to provide for ready access to all parts of the display compartment without undue elfort or bending.

A further object of this invention is to provide for a very low temperature coupled with economy in ice consumption, where ice is used as the refrigerating means. y

A further object of this 'invention is to provide a thorough and positive circulation which is capable of beingvregulatedto meet varying conditions. y

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is an end elevation of my 1mproved show-case. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the indicatedline #QF-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a central, vertical longitudinal section of the complete device.

In the construction of the device as shown a show-case housing is formed of a bottom 10, front l1, rear wall 12, ends 13, and top 14, preferably formed of woodexcept as otherwise indicated. The greaterv portion of the top 14, as well as the upper portions of the ends 13 and front wall 11 are glazed to permit viewing of the contents of the display compartment. The upper portion of the rear wall 12 preferably is inclined forwardly at an angle and the greater portion thereof is formed of a plurality of glazed sliding doors 15, to permit convenient access to the rear of the display compartment. A horizontal partition 16 is mounted in the showcase housing and provides a floor or bottom for the upper display or provision compartment, said partition being located below thc doors l5 and inclined portion of the rear wall 1i. and also below the glazed portions of the front wall 11 and ends 13. The partition 16 may be formed of any suitable material but preferably is composed of or faced with a marble slab to provide a sanitary and easily cleaned support for provisions to be displayed in the case. The partition 1G is formed with openings 1T, 1S at its ends, preferably extending entirely across the case, and gratings or screens 19 are removably mounted in said openings. Vertical partitions 20, 21 are mounted in and transversely of the lower portion of the case, below the horizontal partition 16, and divide the lower part into three substantially equal compartments, indicated by the numerals 22, 23, 2l respectivel The central compartment 23 is the refiigerating compartment and is adapted to contain the refrigerating means, and to this end a skeleton rack or false bottom 25 is mounted, preferably removably, in the lower part of said compartment and may be composed of slats spaced apart and supported at their ends by the walls of the compartment. A quantity of ice 26 may be mountcdloosely on the rack 25 and may be renewed from time to time as indicated; or any mechanical refrigerating means such as coils may be employed in the same location, in a common manner. A fan housing 27 is mounted in the compartment 22 adjacent the partition 20 and extends transversely of the bottom of said compartment and is adapted to contain a motor driven fan 28 adapted to receive current through a conductor 29. The fan housing 27 is formed with a removable 5 thereof, being left unobstructed.

top 30 spaced below thc horizontal partition lo, and is also formed with a circular opening 151 corres curling a iproxnwiely to the diameter of til): fan am leading to the 00inpartment 2Q. The partition 2O is foreshortcned or eut away at its bottom throughout its entire length, whereby a lon narrow opening 32 is provided leading lirom the refrigeration compartment 23 to the fan housing 27, and said opening is entirely below the level of the top of the rack 25, and below the refrigerating means 26. The partition Q1 is iinpei'forate in its lower portion, to a level with the top of the rack 25, and is of open or skeleton construction above said rack, beingr formed of a number of spaced slats 33 set crosswise but inclined downwardly somewhat toward the refrigerating chamber 23 and the refrigerating medium therein on the rack 25.

1n practical operation merchandise to be displayed` such as fresh meats, vegetables and the like, are placed on the horizontal partition 1li` the gratings 19, or major parts n The fan 2H is operated to force currents of air, drawn from the refrigerating compartment 23 through the opening 3Q to the fan housing 2T, through the opening 31, to the end of the conipartmcnt 22 and upwardly through the screened opening 17, thence traversing the display compartment from end to end and passing downwardly through the screened opening 18 to the compartment 24 and through the skeleton portion of the partition 21 to the refrigerating compartment 23 once more, the direction and course of said currents being indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. The currents of air are forced to descend in the refrigeratino' chamber 23 in order to lind an outlet, as the partition 20 is imperforate above the rack 25 whereby said currents are forced to pass ownwardly around the refrigerating medium 26 and through said rack, and are cooled by contact with said refrigeratin" nicdinm,tjl1ence passing outwardly througili-the opening| 32 as before. Thus a constant currentI or circulation of air is maintained by the fan 28,` assing u-pwardly to and then throu h the display compartment, and downwary ment 24, then to the refrigeratin compartment and down and' around the refrigcrating medium and to the fan' compartment. Thus clfctv dOlIlg of the arcurrents is obtained and results in effective cooling of the contents of the display case, a low temperature being maintained at small cost. The circulation is positive, owing to the location of the fan, and it may be regulated by regulating and adjusting the varlable speed' control of `the fan in common manner.

As the refrigrating medium and the forced draft means are located in. the lower to the compartcompartment of the case, the entire upper portion may be employed for display of goods. The compartments 22, 2-1 may be einployed in part for storage, care boing taken not to lill them so completcl as to interfere with the circulation through said compartments.

Hinged doors (not shown) are provided in the rear wall for access to the compartments 22, 23, 24, one door preferably being provided for each of said compartments.

The capacity of the fan is equalized t0 the capacity of the apl'bures through which the currents pass, so that when the doors 15 of the display compartment are opened there is no draft of warm air inwardly nor of cold air outwardly, for the forced current established precludes the possibility of lateral currents.

I claim as my inventionl. A refrigerator show-case, comprising :l housing formed with a horizontal ).nii'tition forming the bottom of a display case, said partition being formed with spaced openings at its ends only, the intermediate portion of said partition being il'nperforate, vertical partitions below Said horizontal partition dividing the lower part of said housing into end compartments and an interniediate refrigerating compartment located entirely beneath said display case, a skeleton rack mounted in the refrigerating compartmentand adapted to carry a refrigerating medium,y one of said vertical partitions being formed with an openinfr at its base below the level of said rack, an a. blower device located adjacent the last-named opening, the other vertical partition being formed with openings above the level of the skeleton rack, whereby air is drawn from said refrigerating compartment and is forced upwardly into and fiom end to end of said display case and is t en returned to said refrigerating compartment.

2. A refrigerator show-case, comprising a housingl formed' with a horizontal partition, the entire upper portion of said housing above said partition being formed as a dis'- play case, said lpartition being formed with screened openings at its ends only, the intermediate portion of said partition being imperforate, vertical artitions below said hori# zontal partition dividing the lower part of said housing into end compartments communicatin with the upper part thereof through said screened openings and an intermediate fefrigerating compartment, a skeleton rack mounted insaid refrigerating compartment and adapted to earl' Y a refrlgerating medium, one of said ver leal partitions being formed with an opening at its base below` the plane of the skeleton rack, a fan housing in o'n, @11d compartment communieating with the last-named opening and El (l formed with am exit opening, and a fan wardly into and from end to end of said dismounted in said fan housing 4between the play case and is then returned to said refrigopenings thereof, the other vertical partition erating eonlpartn'lent through the last 10 being formed with a series of openings above named openings.

the plane of the skeleton rack, whereby air is Signed hy lne at Des Moines, Iowa, this drawn from said refrgerating compartment :21st day of February, 1917.

through said fan housing and is forced up GEORGE F. MOOREHEAD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Oommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

